Nectar
by SciFiScribe
Summary: AU, LK What if the Cylons never attacked?
1. Chapter 1

_Mystic83 totally inspired this. _

**Nectar**

_What if the Cylons never attacked? _

**Chapter One**

The clock on the wall said 4:25 when he finished counting the receipts and closing the bar for the night. He sent the last of the staff home at 3:30, once the place was clean. It was a good take; the night was busy, even for a Friday. He grabbed his jacket from the hook behind the bar and headed out the door, setting the alarm as he went. The night air was warm as he rode home, and the sun was just beginning to touch the edge of the horizon. His bike purred beneath him as he maneuvered the curvy road that led to his home. As he pulled into the driveway, the sunrise tinted the sky a rosy pink.

His home was modest, but comfortable. When he purchased it he was more interested in the large piece of land it sat on, and the solitude it would afford him, than in the structure itself, but over time he had grown to appreciate it. He enjoyed spending his rare days off puttering between projects, and he was proud of the improvements he made, inside and out. He parked his bike in the garage, among his tools and pieces of various items he was working on. He kept most things in his life very orderly, possibly to a fault, at times, but his garage was a chaotic jumble. Wood was stacked in every corner, screws and sockets were scattered across his workbench and at least seven projects in various stages of completion filled the surfaces and floor. Somehow, in here, the clutter helped him focus, kept him inspired and creative. The scent of sawdust tempted him to make a few more cuts on the pieces of the dining table he was crafting, but the he had to be back at the bar by noon, and if he started now, he's be up for hours. He gave his shop one last, wistful glance before entering the house. He paused in the mudroom to kick his shoes off and hang up his jacket before proceeding through the door to the kitchen. He grabbed a beer from the fridge and sat at the island while he sipped it. He watched the sun come up through the trees that lined the east end of his property through the large window above the sink. He drank about half of his beer and poured the rest down the sink, tossing the bottle in a bin under the counter. He rolled his shoulders and tried to knead the knots out of his neck, wincing as he thumbed a particularly stubborn kink. He noted a new creak in the floorboards of the hall as he padded towards the stairs. He stripped to his boxers, hanging his suit carefully with the other clothing that needed to go to the cleaners, before he turned back the bedspread and settled into the mattress. He managed to read a few pages of the book he was reading before his eyes became to heavy to stay open.

………………………………………………………………………

He woke before his alarm and rolled out of bed. He showered, shaved and dressed in a crisp charcoal suit; different from the navy one he had worn the night before only in color. He drank a cup of coffee as he listened to Talk News.

He liked his life. It had been much easier than he thought it would be to leave the military behind him. He had resigned shortly after the Galactica was decommissioned, and spent the following year working two jobs to gather a large enough down payment for the bar. The next year was spent getting the place off the ground, and in the three years since he had nurtured it into a success. It started to turn a profit early in the first year it was open, and had done better each successive year. It kept him busy, and he liked to be busy.

He rinsed his mug and dropped it into the dishwasher before he headed out the door.

He arrived at work an hour or so before the rest of the staff, and began the process of opening the bar. He was rolling a keg from the cooler to the tap when his head bartender came in.

"Hey, Lee," she nodded at him as she headed to the back.

"Hey, Tam." He fiddled with the keg until it was in place, and turned for the kitchen.

"Lee? Did you order more whiskey? The C-Bucks play tonight and I know we're going to get a rush on shots. I opened the last case last night."

"Yeah, said they'd get it out before 5. Do you have enough lime?" he asked as he looked over her shoulder as she prepped the garnish tray. "I think there's a case in the cooler downstairs, if you need more."

Slowly, the wait staff and kitchen crew arrived and soon every area of the building was buzzing with activity. He made his rounds and supervised the various tasks his crew performed, pausing to chat or laugh with his employees. Right at three, he flipped on the sign and moved to his office to do paperwork before the customers started shuffling in.

He made it out to the main area by four. They had about ten customers, mostly regulars who spend most afternoons here. Lee chatted with each cluster of guests as the Saturday crowd began filling up the place.

"Adama! What's a man have to do to get a drink around here?" Lee turned to see a couple of men he had served with on the Atlantia. He smiled broadly at them as they greeted each other. He moved behind the bar and poured each man a glass of his best ambrosia. "You are a man among men, Adama." Hardball, the pilot nearest him, sniffed the liquid deeply. "Hey, this is the good shit." The men downed their drinks in a swallow; Lee refilled them with a chuckle.

"Look at you," Sharkbite, the smaller of the two raised his glass to his old friend. "You look like a banker. This place must be doing okay."

"A banker, huh?" He filled their glasses again. "You around for the game?"

"Yeah, we both had some leave stored up, so we came to check out the play offs. Team looks good this year, I think the C-Bucks could go all the way."

"Don't listen to him, Adama. There's no way. Anders is older than dirt; no way his knee's going to hold out. It's the Warriors, all the way."

"I wouldn't say that too loudly in here," Lee laughed, pointing to the various C-Buck memorabilia hanging around the bar. A group of three women entered the bar and his friends turned towards them simultaneously. Hardball absently tossed a handful of cubits on the bar as he stood to approach them, Sharkbite on his heels.

"Ladies! My gods, you look thirsty! Let my friend and I here help you out with that. It's our job to serve and protect colonial citizens." He slid an arm around one of the women and walked with her to a booth. The tables and stools began filling quickly and soon he was too busy to note the passage of time. He marked the evening by the crowd, the pyramid fans without tickets started coming in about an hour before the game and the bar was abuzz with cheering and chatter. After the game, people who attended at the stadium around the corner started streaming in, followed an hour or so later by the team themselves. Lee greeted them each personally and congratulated them on the win. He signaled Tam to bring over a few pitchers. He was moving towards the bar to help Tam when he caught a glimpse of blonde hair in his peripheral vision. He tried to stop himself from turning, years of false alarms should have prevented him from looking closer every time he saw a blonde woman, but he looked anyway. She had her back to him, but the hair was the right color and the lines of her back and shoulders were just like he remembered. He waited and stared, willing the gods to make her turn just a little bit.

After a few agonizing seconds, she turned and said something to the man next to her and his heart jumped. She threw her head back in a laugh, and as she straightened, he saw her double take, and knew that she had seen him too. Her eyes widened and she arched an eyebrow at him. He felt a grin spread across his face and he started towards her. A look combining panic, confusion and something else he couldn't identify flashed across her face before she broke into a large smile. She turned away from her group and met him in the center of the bar in a hug.

"Kara," he started, pulling back from her and taking her in. "You look fantastic." Her hair was longer than he remembered it, nearly touching her shoulders and falling around her face in soft waves. She wore a simple black sheath and just a hint of makeup. She was even more beautiful than he remembered her to be.

"You don't look so bad yourself." She ran her hand along the sleeve of his jacket. "If this suit is any indication, you must be doing okay for yourself."

"Things are good." He paused. "Gods, Kara, it's been a long time."

"I know," she replied softly. "Five years."

"What brings you to Caprica?" He knew she had lived on Aerilon for a while after she resigned, but he lost track of her several years before.

"I just moved back a few weeks ago."

"Lee! Kitchen needs you," Tam called to him from behind the bar. He turned towards her and nodded.

"Kara, can you wait? I have to take care of this. Shouldn't take too long." He reached for her hand.

"Is this place yours?" She looked around the large room, wide eyed. He nodded, slightly. "You did it, you own a bar?" He grinned. "Good for you." She squeezed his hand before he ran off to the kitchen.

His tasks multiplied as soon as he hit the kitchen door, and it was well over an hour before he emerged again. He scanned the room, but didn't see her. His shoulders slumped slightly before he was called to handle the next crisis. He ended up in the kitchen for the majority of the rest of the evening when one of his chefs got ill. Normally he enjoyed stepping in, but tonight he was agitated with each small task. He finally made it back to the front just as Tam was making last call. The crowd had almost completely thinned out when he saw her again, sitting on the last stool at the bar, chatting with Tam and Evelyn, the hostess. Tam looked up to see the grin on his face and winked at him. Kara turned and put a look of mock indignation on her face.

"Holy frak, Lee. Tell me to wait for you and then you disappear for three hours. You're lucky I didn't run off with one of the drunk C-Bucks." She rolled her eyes at Tam, grinning.

Evelyn stepped from behind Kara and settled onto a stool after the last customer had left. "We like your friend, Lee." She shot him an inquiring glance. Tam and Evelyn were consistently trying to hook him up with one woman or another, but he usually brushed off their offers. He certainly hadn't been celibate in the time since he left the service, but he hadn't actually dated anyone for any length of time, either. He'd just never clicked with any of the woman he dated, at least not in a way that made him want to pursue anything other than a casual fling. Tam told him repeatedly that he just didn't know what he wanted, but she couldn't have been farther from the mark. He knew exactly what he wanted, and she was sitting on a barstool not ten feet from him.

He'd known since the first time he laid eyes on her, draped across his brother's lap on a picnic blanket, her head thrown back in the most unselfconscious laugh he'd ever heard. Zak had insisted Lee meet his new girlfriend; told him she was the most amazing woman he'd ever met. After spending fifteen minutes with her, he couldn't agree more. By the time they started digging into the picnic basket, he found himself imagining what her skin would feel like under his hand; what her tongue would feel like, tracing his ear and what noises she would make if he kissed her right _there_. More than once, he caught her looking back at him, but she would quickly turn and give Zak a nuzzle, or brush her lips across his neck, each time she did his heart ached a little. At the end of the meal, he offered her a hand to help her get to her feet. When her hand slipped into his, he felt a shock run through his body and he drew his breath in sharply, before he was able to control it. Her eyes locked into his as she stood, and he knew she felt it, too. She jumped back from him slightly, and they both looked to Zak guiltily, relieved to see his back was turned, loading supplies back into the basket. They shared one more glance before she turned back to his brother, wrapping her arms around his waist.

After the picnic, the three of them became almost inseparable. Lee and Kara never spoke of the palpable emotion between them, but they continued to catch the other staring. Lee knew he should claim to be busy when Zak called to drag him off on one of their adventures, but his need to see her, to lock eyes with her even for a second, was greater than any reason his normally rational mind could concoct not to join them. He lived like that for over a year, coveting the frak out of his brother's girlfriend in between beating himself up with guilt and taking matters into his own hand in his morning shower. There was the random woman, who, if he squinted just right in a darkened room, could pass for the woman he really wanted to be touching, but none of them ever amounted to more that a temporary distraction. Still, despite all the angst and self-flagellation, he never felt more alive than when he was in her presence. She challenged him, she made him laugh, and she forced him to constantly push outside of his comfort zone. She may have been his brother's lover, but she was his best friend and at times he was sure that made their connection more sacred, even more intimate than the one she had with Zak.

The last time he saw them together was a week before Zak died. They had collectively consumed three bottles of cheap wine in Kara's tiny off campus apartment before Zak passed out in the bedroom. The two of them sat on her ratty couch, flipping through channels on her television and laughing hysterically at nothing in particular, until Zak yelled at them to shut the frak up so he could spin in peace. They settled into a comfortable silence. After a spell, she stood and turned to face him. She met his gaze for a long second, but she looked away from him before she spoke.

"We're engaged, Lee." She didn't wait for him to say anything as she quickly went into her bedroom and closed the door.

Now she was here, in front of him again after all these years, laughing the same unselfconscious laugh.

Tam and Evelyn excused themselves and disappeared to help the kitchen staff clean up. He moved behind the bar and poured them both an ambrosia before sitting on the stool next to hers. She grinned at him and turned her stool to face him, brushing his thigh slightly with her knee as she turned. "You look great, Lee. And this," she gestured broadly to encompass the room around them. "This is amazing."

"Thanks. It makes me happy. What about you? What are you doing with yourself?"

"Painting, mostly. I have a little gallery downtown that I share with a few other artists. I teach a few art classes at the studio and at the university. It makes me happy, too." She looked him up and down. "I missed you."

"Me, too. Why'd you stay away so long?" He hoped his voice didn't betray all of the emotions he was feeling.

"The last time we saw each other was pretty rough. I was pretty sure you never wanted to see me again." She ran her finger around the rim of her glass.

She had sat down with him and his father, before he had a chance to return to the Atlantia on the day of the decommissioning of Galactica, and told them both about passing Zak. Both men exploded in anger. He screamed at her, his father just told her to get out. She apologized, once to each of them, and she gave his father her resignation before she left the room, and shortly after, the ship. It didn't fix things, with his dad, but it set them on the right path. After Lee left the military, he and his dad slowly began to reconnect. Once he was free of his father's shadow, they were able to find other things they had in common, and that they actually enjoyed the other's company. They talked about Zak many times, and both of them gave up any anger or resentment they had towards Kara almost as soon as they realized she was really gone from their lives. She wasn't his only instructor, and both of them had known, at least on some level, that Zak wasn't cut out for the cockpit. By forgiving her, they were able to forgive each other.

"You were wrong." He met her eyes and smiled. She smiled back at him hesitantly.

"It's good to be wrong." She put her hand over his and absently began running her thumb over his knuckles.

"Hey Lee?" Tam returned from the kitchen. "Why don't you and Kara go ahead and leave? Evelyn and I can close the place up for the night."

"I should probably be getting home anyway," Kara squeezed his hand. "But I need to call a cab, I sent my friend home hours ago, and she drove. Can I use your phone?"

"I can take you home." He panicked a little, not wanting his time with her to be over yet. He saw Tam beam at him over Kara's shoulder and had to stifle a laugh.

"He's got a great bike, Kara. I've been begging him to let me take it out for years. Now, get out of here, both of you. Kara, it was great to meet you. I hope we see more of you. Lee, I'll see you Wednesday. Enjoy your time off." She winked at him when Kara wasn't looking.

Kara smiled widely at him and hopped off her stool. "You have a bike? You? That's kinda sexy, Adama." He blushed deeply and she laughed. She took a moment to run her eyes over him appraisingly. "You're just full of surprises."

He rose to join her, giving her a look of his own. He gently took her elbow and leaned into her. "You have no idea," he whispered in her ear. He felt her shiver slightly, and was pleased to see a flush rise up her neck. As he led her to the door, Evelyn and Tam watched them leave.

"That explains a lot," Tam said, wiping down the counter.

Evelyn grinned at her. "Did you see the way they looked at each other? Gods, I thought they were going to hop on the bar and frak each other senseless right in front of us."

Kara admired his bike to his satisfaction, before he handed her his helmet and swung his leg over it.

"Lee?" He looked at her. "How far is your place?"

His breath caught in his chest for a minute. "Uh, twenty minutes or so. Do, um, you want to go there?" He was certain he sounded like he was fifteen.

"Do you want me to?"

"Yes. I do." She smiled and slipped on his helmet. He tried not to stare as she hiked her dress up slightly and slid behind him on the bike. She wrapped her arms around him and they raced off.

**TBC**


	2. Chapter 2

**Nectar**

**Chapter Two**

"My gods, that smells delicious," she said, watching him busy himself in his kitchen. "I can't remember the last time I had pancakes." He grinned at her, moving from the fridge to the counter. He kept looking at her, sitting at his kitchen island, to make sure he hadn't dreamt the entire evening. "Can I help?"

"Can you cook?"

"That depends on how you define 'cook'"

"Can you juice an orange?" He pulled three from a drawer in the fridge and began juggling them. She chuckled at him as he dropped two of them to the floor.

"Better than you can juggle." He handed her the supplies she'd need and turned back to his pancakes, laughing. "How's your dad?"

"He's good. He couldn't stay retired, so he's teaching classes at the academy in Delphi. His students are scared shitless of him, so he's happy." He poured batter onto the hot skillet on the stove. "He got married again. His new wife is a firecracker; I think she may be perfect for him." He paused for a long second. "He'd love to see you."

"Yeah?" She looked at him skeptically.

"Yeah." He smiled at her. "He missed you a lot. Almost as much as I did." He met her eyes and they both blushed slightly. "Where did you go?"

"Promise you won't laugh?"

"Pinky swear." She threw an orange at him. "Ow!"

"I went to Aerilon for a while. I was flying passenger shuttles, but I hated it. I needed to get my head together, so I went to Geminon. I spent about two years at a monastery."

" A monastery? You became a priest?"

"Frak no! I just sequestered myself for a while, until I could figure out how to get my life in order. I started painting again, while I was there, and I didn't stop." She inhaled deeply. "Lee, I really hope those pancakes are about done. They smell so good, I'm about to pass out from hunger."

He responded by placing a plateful in front of her with a grin. He supplemented the plate with a stick of butter and a bottle of syrup. "One order of Lee Adama's near-worlds-famous blueberry pancakes." She stuck her fork in and scooped up a bite, popping into her mouth with joy. Her face broke into an instant grin.

"Damn," she exclaimed, between bites. "These are better than sex."

He didn't look at her as he replied, "Clearly, you've been having sex with the wrong people." She choked slightly.

"Is that an offer?" It was his turn to choke.

"I suppose we'll have to wait and see, won't we?" He turned towards her and winked. He was very, very pleased to see her blush. He took his own plate and joined her at the island.

"Tell me how you got the bar." She allowed her leg to press against his under the counter of the island.

"I worked my ass off." He looked at her sideways, hoping his body would not betray how incredible it felt to have her thigh against his. "I bought it about four years ago. Tam came with the place, which helped a lot. She's probably more responsible for it being successful than I am."

"I doubt that. I doubt there's much in this world that could stay out of your reach for long."

"There's one thing that has eluded me for years." He turned to her and gently brushed a crumb from her lip. She pulled in her breath, and then gently kissed the tip of his thumb.

"I think that's all about to change." She cupped his cheek with her hand and shivered as he covered her palm with gentle, light kisses. She leaned into him and captured his mouth with hers. A soft moan slipped from him when her tongue flitted out to brush against his lower lip. Their kisses slowly escalated from sweet, hesitant pecks to deep, long, passionate explorations and he thought he might pass out right there in his kitchen. They stood together and he wrapped his arms around her waist. She took his face in her hands and continued to make love to his mouth as they moved towards the stairs. At the base, she pulled away from him. "Do you want this?" she whispered.

"Gods yes." He leaned back into her and reclaimed her mouth, before moving his mouth up her jaw line to her ear. "Since the moment I met you."

"I know." She nuzzled his neck. "Me too." She took his face in her hands and met his eyes. "My gods, I'm so glad I walked into that bar." She grinned at him before he took her hand and led her upstairs. She pulled him into another kiss at the top, entwining one hand in his hair as the other hand began undoing the buttons of his shirt. He guided her, with hands on her hips, to his bedroom. He slipped a hand behind him to turn the knob and push the door open before he led her inside. She slid his now unbuttoned shirt from his shoulders and pulled his undershirt over his head, tossing them both to the side. Stepping out of her shoes, she leaned into him and began kissing the ridge above each of his collarbones as she ran her fingers through the pale hairs of his chest. He buried his face in her hair and inhaled deeply. Her scent was spicy and exotic, like he imagined some mythical Earth garden to smell. He trailed a hand up her back and grabbed the zipper pull at her neck. Slowly, gently, he tugged it down towards her waist. Shrugging slightly, she let the dress fall from her shoulders, pushed it over her hips and stepped out of it.

"Gods. Kara," he murmured to her, taking her in. Under her dress she was clad in the most beautiful piece of midnight blue silk he'd ever laid eyes on. The deep hue complimented the luminosity of her ivory skin, and he couldn't help but reach out and ran his hand over the curve of her hip, relishing how she felt beneath the smooth fabric. Her beauty would humble Persephone and Aphrodite. "This is really okay now. No more ghosts."

"No more ghosts," she agreed, pulling him into an embrace. The feel of her silk draped breasts against his chest caused him to stir against her thigh. She chuckled and reached a hand to cup him through his trousers and slowly began to stroke her hand up and down. He moaned deep in his chest and nudged her backwards until they stood at the side of his bed. Breaking away from him, she slid across the surface, stretching out in the center. With a lascivious grin, she patted the mattress beside her, and he was instantly at her side, claiming her mouth with his. She began to undo his belt as he began massaging her breast, tracing small circles around her attentive nipple and flicking his thumb gently back and forth across it's crest. Her breath caught in her throat and she arched her back to press her flesh more firmly into his teasing strokes. Abandoning his belt, for the moment, she buried her hand in his hair, pulling his mouth even closer to hers. He moved to her other breast, kneading and stroking until she was groaning his name into his mouth. Lee rolled onto his back suddenly, pulling her to straddle him. He reached both hands up over her hips and under the hem of the camisole she wore. He took his time as he ran his hands over her stomach, sometimes allowing a fingertip to gently brush the swell of the underside of her breast. She crossed her arms in front of her and swiftly pulled the camisole over her head. He allowed himself a moment just to gaze at her, which brought both a flush to her chest and a shy smile to her face.

"You're the reason men become artists and writers." He rose on his elbows and gently stroked each pink nipple with the tip of his tongue, blowing slightly on the wet trails left behind. With a twist, he again switched their positions, until she was stretched on her back underneath him. He continued to tease the tender skin of her breasts with his warm mouth as he stroked the milky skin of her inner thigh. He sat back on his heals to slowly remove each of her stockings, kissing each inch of skin as it was exposed. Hooking two fingers in the waist of her panties, he eased them over her hips and off her legs, leaving her in nothing but a smile before him. In the blink of an eye, he offered thanks to all the Lords of Kobol, the Fates and sheer good fortune, and then he resumed his task, now running his hand from her ankle to her thigh. She grabbed his hand and moved to where it would do more good, meeting his eyes to wink at him before his ministration caused her to lose the ability to focus. His palm moved slowly back and forth, softly kneading her until she began rolling her hips into his hand and crying his name softly, mingled with the occasional "Please." Soon his fingers traveled to her most sensitive point and began dancing across it. He pressed a thumb against the ridge of nerves and freed his fingers to further explore her. Her entrance met his finger with a flood of wet heat. He pushed inside her, inch by inch, and slowly increased the pressure with which he thumbed her center. He felt her orgasm build as every muscle in her body tensed, and her center throbbed under his touch. She clamped around his finger when she couldn't stand to wait another second and cried for him as wave after wave of ecstasy washed through her.

She sank into the pillows, her hair damp with sweat and pulled him up to her. "Wow."

He chuckled in response.

She grabbed his chin playfully. "Lee Adama, I need you to frak me good and proper right frakking now."

His pants and boxers were dispensed with quickly; Lee had no intention of disappointing the naked woman lying on his bed. "Yes ma'am." He moved between her legs and guided himself into position. Her hands cupped his face and she held his eyes with hers as he entered her and began to move. He never knew it could be like this; that he could mesh so perfectly with a woman that he couldn't tell where he ended and she began. They quickly found a rhythm and she met each of his thrusts with one of her own. Soon, both were drenched in sweat and moaning and crying out for the other. This time when he felt her tense around him, he could hold back no more, and he released into her, covering her face with kisses as they fell over the edge together.

He slid to her side and wrapped his arms around her tightly, pulling her back into his chest.

"Lee?" she asked him after a moment.

"Hmmm?"

"Those were damn good pancakes."

**TBC**


	3. Chapter 3

Nectar

Chapter 3

He awoke a few hours later, almost afraid to open his eyes, afraid that it had all been a dream, or worse, that she had already left. With a deep breath, he rolled and opened his eyes in the same moment; she was still there. She was curled on her side, with her back exposed to him, the sheet draped over the curve of her hip. He watched her sleep for a long moment, then leaned into kiss the swell of her shoulder blade. She stirred and rolled to face him.

"Morning, Lee." She purred, sending a shiver straight to his hardening cock. She reached beneath the blankets and took him in hand. She smiled when he groaned lightly, and ran her tongue along the edge of his ear. "You like that?" She blew lightly on the trail she left, causing his breath to hitch. Slowly, methodically he brushed his thumbs against the pink skin of her nipples, until she was breathing his name in his ear with each exhalation; praising him, begging him to go further. His hands slid down from her breasts; over the smooth pale skin of her stomach and rested on her hips, easing her onto her back in the tangle of sheets and blankets of his bed. Gently, he parted her with his finger and began to stroke the soft, sensitive flesh of her core. She lifted her hips to meet his ministrations, prompting him to massage her wet heat more deeply. He rolled her nub deftly between his fingers, until she broke in powerful waves under his hand. She pulled him to her in a deep kiss, twining her fingers through his rumpled hair. Wordlessly, they shifted, until she straddled his lap and she lowered herself onto him. As she enveloped him in her heat, he wrapped his arms tightly around her. This time, they both kept eyes open as they rocked together, a tangle of arms and legs and souls.

When they finally pulled apart, she took his face in her hands and kissed him soundly.

"I have to go, Lee." She tried to wiggle away from his arm, but he pulled her into his chest.

"No, you don't." He kissed a line along her neck. "You want to stay." He glanced over her shoulder at the clock on his nightstand. "It's six o'clock on a Sunday evening. Where do you need to be?" Gently, he insinuated his thigh between hers and slid his hands down her back to cradle her ass. She purred as he coaxed her hips to roll deeper against him. The heat and friction soon had his body responding, as well, and as her climax neared she shifted to take him deep inside her. She rose to her knees above him, allowing him a full view of her body. He grazed his fingertips along her stomach, and cupped her breasts as the flush of her orgasm spread across her pale skin. As the waves began to wash through her, she pressed her hand against her center, and the sight of her, combined with the intensity of her contracting around him, brought him over the edge quickly. She fell to the bed and lay next to him, draping an arm over his chest.

"You play dirty," she laughed.

He chuckled lightly. "You hungry?"

"Starving."

They rolled out of the bed and he found her a pair of sweats and a t-shirt. He grabbed a pair of boxers and a tank for himself. After they dressed she followed him down the stairs and around the corner to the kitchen. He pulled two beers from the fridge and uncapped them, pouring them into frosted glasses from the freezer. Kara sipped her beer and licked the foam from her lip, grinning at him.

"What's for dinner?" She peered over his shoulder as he gathered ingredients, wrapped an arm around his hip and slid her fingers just under the waistband of his boxers, lightly stroking the skin underneath. Pressing her breasts into his back, she whispered into his ear. "I know what's for dessert." He shivered lightly, but his look was playful when he turned to face her.

"Steak. These all need cleaned and chopped." He kissed her lightly on her bottom lip and handed her a handful of fresh vegetables. "I grew them myself, you know." He winked at her and turned back to the fridge. She laughed and turned to the sink.

"Gods, Lee, you are the man for all seasons, aren't you. Grow your own vegetables, run your own bar, make your own furniture…. "

"I can cook, too. And fly a viper." He grinned across the kitchen at her and she returned it with one of her own, before grabbing a kitchen towel and swatting him with it. "Chop, chop, woman. Those veggies aren't going to clean themselves." She rolled her eyes and turned back to the sink with a chuckle. He began searing the meat and they worked in a comfortable silence for a few moments. Removing the browned meat from the griddle, he poured the drippings into a saucepan and added red wine and a handful of herbs. Kara finished cleaning and chopping the vegetables and stood behind him as he stirred the glaze over the heat of the stove.

"That smells so good, Lee." She nuzzled briefly at his neck and nibbled an earlobe lightly. She wrapped her arms around him and leaned slightly against his back. "This is nice. Really nice."

He turned his head to the side and kissed her hair, closing his eyes and inhaling, hoping to remember the way she smelled long after the night was over. "I know," he replied quietly, leaning his head against hers. She squeezed him gently in return, and he felt her heart pounding against his back. With a kiss to his shoulder, she broke away and turned to the stack of chopped vegetables on the counter. "There's a casserole dish in the cabinet under the island. Toss those in there, drizzle them with oil and some salt and pepper." Kara followed his instructions as the glaze reduced, and he was pouring it over the meat as she finished. Lee slid both dishes into the hot oven, set the timer and turned to her with a smile.

"How long do we have?" she asked him, eyebrow raised and with a twinkle in her eye. His body instantly betrayed itself through the thin cotton fabric of his boxers.

"Uh, 35 minutes," he replied with a sheepish grin, leaning back against the counter with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Perfect," she purred, crossing the kitchen to stand in front of him. "Plenty of time." Her hands slid under his shirt and stroked the taut muscles of his chest. Entwining her fingers in the fine hairs of his chest, she leaned up to kiss him deeply. She traced his upper lip with the tip of her tongue until he moaned lightly. With a chuckle deep in her throat, she pulled his tank over his head and she began working her hands and mouth down his body, pausing to lick and explore the hollow of his collarbone, the lines between the muscles of his stomach, the rise of his hip bone. She hooked her thumbs in the waistband of his shorts and pulled them smoothly down over his hips, until they puddled on the floor. She explored him first with her hands, touching and stroking until he felt he it would be physically impossible for him to be more aroused, and then she took him into her mouth and proved him wrong. Rapidly, she nursed his release from him, until he weakly leaned against the counter, breathing hard and saying her name like a prayer. She rose and kissed his neck before excusing herself. He remained braced against the cabinet for a moment, catching his breath before he dressed and checked the food. He was sitting at the island, nursing his beer when she returned and slid onto the stool next to his.

"I missed you, Kara." He rolled his glass back and forth in his hands. He glanced up at her and searched her face.

"I missed you, too, Lee." Her face crumpled for a second and he reached out to cup her face. She turned her head and kissed his palm

"Please don't go away again."

"I don't think I could if I tried."

Their foreheads touched, and they stayed that way until the kitchen timer rang.

The End


End file.
